Car-coupling



(No Model.)

W. MELIUS.

GAR COUPLING.

Pat ented May 2,1882.

gag

UNITED STATES PATENT OFF CE.

WALTER MELIUS, OF ALBANY, NE? YORK.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 257,176, dated May 1882. Application filed February 1, 1882. (No model-) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER themes. of Albany, in the county of Albany and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovementsinAutomaticGar-Uouplings; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention has for its object to piovide an improved automatic car-coupling which shall be cheap and simple in construction and effective in operation; and to this end it consists of a coupling constructed and operating substantially as I will now proceed to describe.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents two otmyimproved couplings, one in side elevation and the other in longitudinal section. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of one of the couplings, and Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the same.

Similar letters of reference in the several figures denote the same parts.

A A represent the draw-heads of the couplings, constructed of iron and adapted to be connected to the car-platformsin the ordinary or any preferred manner. Each draw-head is provided withawide transverse slot or recess,B,

0 just back of its forward or enlarged portion,

A, and the shank portion of each is bifurcated, and the space G between the two parts A A of the shank leads into the transverse slot B, as shown. Hung at the rear upper edge of the slot B, so as to swing freely, is an angular metal latch, the forward part, D, of which extends across the slot B, while its rear part, D, projects down into the space between the parts A A of the shank, as shown in Fig. 1. The draw-head, near the forward upper corner of the slot B, is preferably provided with a shoulder, a, and acorresponding shoulder, (1, is formed on the forward portion of the latch, which fits against the shoulder a when the latch is in normal position. The part D of the latch is made heavier than the part D, so that when the part D 'is depressed it will,

. upon being released, automaticallyreturn to its normal or closed position.

In hanging the latch 21. hole may he made pressed down upon the front portion, D, of

the latch of one of them, and is caused to enter the slot B. As the link slips off the end of said partD the weightof the partDcauses the latch to return to its first position, but with the part D inclosed by the link. The entered end of the link is then brought to the rear end of the slot and seated in a depression, I), so that the body of the link will be in an elevated position, as shown in Fig. ll. Now, when the two draw-heads approach each other and strike the shock resulting causes the link to swing down over the forward part of the opposite draw-head, strike upon the latch of the same, and enter the slot below the latch, the latch automatically closing back to its first position, as before, thus securely locking the two draw-heads together. When the cars start up the links will bear against the forward parts of the slots B B, as will be understood, and,however greatly the cars may rock, the latches will not open accidentally, so as toliberate the link.

In order that the draw-head may be adapted to couple to ordinary cars employing the commonlink-and-pin coupling, I provide a chamber, F, in the forward part of it, and provide a vertical hole leading through it for the accommodation of a straight pin, G, as shown.

My coupling can be made at slight cost, and its employment will prevent the many accidents incident to the use of the ordinary linkand-pin couplings, as no one is required to go between the cars to efiect the engagement of 5 When the link is not needed for coupling it may be swung down so as to hang below the draw-head, as will be readily understood.

Having thus described my invention, Iclaim 5 as new 1. The combination of the draw-head A, having the transverse slot B, and the bifurcated shank A A with the angular weighted latch hinged at the rear upper corner of the 10 transverse slot, as described, with its forward arm adapted to engage with the draw-head at the upper forward corner of the slot, and with its rear weighted arm adapted to play between the parts of the bifurcated shank and to be r 5 guided thereby, substantially as described.

WALTER MELIUS.

Witnesses:

THOMAS J. DOLAN, JOHN A. HEENAN. 

